Impatiens plant named Adela

ABSTRACT

An Impatiens plant named Adela having violet colored flowers and contrasting green foliage, early flowering, and a spreading growth habit with very good self branching thereby making Adela an excellent cultivar for hanging baskets.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofImpatiens plant known by the cultivar name Adela, and botanically knownas Impatiens.

Adela was developed by applicant through a controlled breeding programin Bad Kreuznach, Federal Republic of Germany. Both the male and femaleparents are unknown at this time. Adela was discovered and selected asone flowering plant within the progeny of the cross by applicant in acontrolled environment in Bad Kreuznach, Federal Republic of Germany.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Adela was accomplished whenterminal or stem cuttings were taken from the initial selection byapplicant in a controlled environment in Bad Kreuznach, Federal Republicof Germany. Horticultural examination of selected plants of Adela hasdemonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor Adela are firmly fixed and are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

Adela has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment suchas temperature, light intensity, soil conditions, nutrient feeding, andday length.

The following characteristics distinguish the new Impatiens from bothits parent varieties and other cultivated Impatiens of this type knownand used in the floriculture industry within the knowledge of applicant:

1. Violet flowers.

2. Green leaves contrast well with flower color.

3. The plant flowers very early becomes well covered with flowers.

4. The growth habit is spreading with very good self branching; thegrowth tends to become somewhat pendulous, making it well suited forhanging basket culture.

5. The overall height can be greater than average.

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates in perspective view theoverall appearance of this cultivar, with colors being as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in a colored reproduction of this type.

The following is a detailed description of Adela based on plantsproduced under commercial practice in Encinitas, Calif. Unrootedcuttings were rooted in March under intermittent mist, and the plantssubsequently transplanted to 6" pots. Flowering commenced in July, and aplant nicely proportioned for a 6" pot was ready five or six weekslater. Most of the data which follows was collected between September1-5 in Encinitas, Calif. The measurements and description of foliagewere taken from fully expanded leaves.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused. Color chart correlations were made indoors but under natural lightconditions, with the leaves and flowers being compared to the R.H.S.Colour Chart near a west-facing window.

Parentage: Seedling from cross pollination, with both the male andfemale parents being unknown at this time.

Propagation:

Type cutting.--Tip cutting. Stems 2-3 cm long will develop to 4-5 cmafter 21 days in propagation.

Time to initiate roots.--8-10 days at 73° C. Nicely developed root massin 18-21 days.

Rooting habit.--Numerous, fibrous adventitious roots from the stem.

Plant description:

Form.--Symmetrical, bush shaped, flowering herb, with self-branchingcharacteristics giving the plant a full appearance. Somewhat pendulous.

Habit of growth.--Vigorous, self-branching, spreading habit, producingwhorls of leaves and flowers on branched stems. Growth is indeterminateand flowering is continuous.

Foliage description.--Leaves are simple. Lower leaves on stem areopposite. Higher leaves in whorls of 5. Leaf shape: Lanceolate to ovateto elliptic, with acute tip and attenuate base. Leaf size: 10-12cm×4-4.5 cm. Leaf margin: Ciliated and minutely serrated. Leaf texture:Upper surface: glabrous. Under surface: glabrous. Leaf color: Green.Upper surface: Darker than 139A. Under surface: 147B. Venation: Pinnate.

Flowering description:

Flowering habits.--Very floriferous, flowering continuously. Flowersdevelop progressively around the whorl of leaves, taking 5-7 days frombuds which show color to bloom. Flowers are single and large, lastingfor 2-3 weeks.

Natural flowering season.--Flowering is indeterminate and occursthroughout the year. Quantity of flowers increases with increasing lightintensity and duration.

Flower buds.--Ellipsoidal and covered with 3 sepals. A reddishapproximately 4.5-5 cm long spur originates from the base of the majorsepal. Two additional, rudimentary sepals are fused to back of the toppetal.

Flowers borne.--Singly, on pedicels 5-5.5 cm long, pedicels reddish incolor.

Quantity of flowers.--Floriferous. Two flowers per leaf occurringprogressively around the whorl of leaves so that tight buds to matureblooms are visible at the same time in large numbers.

Petals.--Number of petals: Five (5). Shape: Top petal heart shaped withwide base, all other petals heart shaped with pointed base. All petalsoverlap. Slightly undulated flower. Color: Red-purple. Upper surface:Between 71C and 71D. Under surface: 72C. Size of flowers: 5 cm.

Reproductive organs.--Stamens: Five (5) with the lower stamen beingshorter than the other stamens. Stamens united in an asymmetrical tubesurrounding the ovary. Anthers: Hooded, cream fused with red. Pollen:Cream color. Stigma: Five pointed star, colorless. Styles: Very short,reddish in color. Ovary: 5 celled, 4-5 mm long until fertilized, greenin color.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named Adela,as illustrated and described, and parts thereof.